


Six degrees of separation.

by Shaalara



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Also cosplay, Fluff, Ganondorf has fufilled his lifelong quest of playing proper Tennis, Mostly Fluff, Multi, Mute Link, So yeah, University students AU, WE NEED MORE FLUFF IN THIS SHIP, all of them are students, but barely, enjoy, fluff is more important, lots of cosplay, tiny bit of angst for plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-09-23 17:19:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9667973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaalara/pseuds/Shaalara
Summary: Link and Zelda are preparing for their local ComiCon. When the mysterious and fluffy crimson haired man ends up close to them, it turns out that they may have more in common than meets the eye.





	1. Some theories are worth believing.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I know sign language grammar isn't the same as written/spoken english, but for the sake of proper understanding, let's pretend that it is for a few chapters.

 

 

 _“Everything is connected”_ Is a wonderful phrase. It is fitting of humans. Equivalent to their desire to connect to others, and reassure themselves of their existence through that fact. John Guare popularised the theory of the six degrees of separation. A theory seemingly far-fetched, yet attractive. Thinking that you are connected to everyone by so little steps can be heart-warming.

Link pondered, sitting in a sunny patch of warm, green grass in front of the literature building of his university, watching fellow students go by. By how many degrees was he separated from the tall, red haired woman running late to her lecture? Or from the attractive, black, long-haired teacher leaving the science building, a well-deserved cup of tea in hand. Thinking in six degrees shrunk the world around him to a size which he could comprehend. Every stranger seemed so much more familiar to him, as he wondered what their connection could possibly be.

The midday bells rang in the church tower of the small, university town. Link turned his gaze towards his left. The sports science building. Students in black and red jerseys bearing the university crest started to exit the building, group by group of friends. The blonde man observed them from the corner of his eye, inconspicuously sipping his hot chocolate to seem casual. One of them stood out more than the others. His large build was impressive even among university athletes, his long, fluffy red mane flowing down his back. Link couldn’t take his eyes off the impressive hair. It was really…fluffy. How on earth did hair become so fluffy? Did the man use a conditioner made out of cloud essence? The blonde man laughed internally as he imagined the cover of a cloud conditioner, though it didn’t really matter. He simply pondered once more.

How many degrees away was the man?

He was so close, simply walking towards the tennis court, still only a few meters away from Link. It would be so easy to reduce whatever number they were separated by to one by simply going up and striking a conversation with him. Even if he didn’t know sign language, Link had markers and a white board in his bag so they could still communicate. But what would he say? _“Please write out all of your friends and their friend’s names so that we can see if we’re connected somehow?”_  Yes. Great pick up line. He was definitely on the way to become the player of the university.

Link flinched at a familiar sensation on his head and shoulders. Zelda had creeped up on him from behind, resting her head and elbows on her friend, following his gaze and looking at the tennis court along with him.

“How did your weekly viewing go?” She asked with a smirk.

Link placed his cup onto the grass to sign. _“How do you think?”_

“Any chance you’re going to walk up to him at some point before we degrade and return to the soil?”

_“Maybe in our next life.”_

Zelda rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Anyway!” She claimed as she moved to sit on his right side. “When can we do the fitting? ComiCon is only two weeks away. I can’t leave my fans waiting.”

_“I’m free this afternoon. I just have to help clean up our corridor. We have someone new coming in.”_

“Someone new? At this time of year? Do you know why?”

Link simply raised his shoulders. He hadn’t been told, and he didn’t really care. Right now, he needed to juggle between writing assignments and sowing Zelda’s cosplay for the upcoming convention. He didn’t have time to focus on anything else. Still, his mind wandered towards the fluffy haired athlete. What would it be like to design costumes for his build? Making costumes for Zelda was fun, but he was used to her measurements. He would gladly welcome a change in routine.

“Well okay then.” She said, standing up. “Four o’clock it is. I’ll text you when I’m in front of your building so you can let me in.”

Link saluted with his left hand as a sign of agreement, watching his friend gleefully walk away. He stretched his arms over his head. It was time for him to go home as well. Grabbing his still warm hot chocolate, he headed towards his accommodation. It was close, on campus right next to the library building. It was very useful for people with complicated relationships with mornings as he had. It was a building with an old-timey feel. Link liked it.

There were three floors, each divided in two large corridors. Each of these were occupied by five people, sharing a kitchen and a bathroom. It was far from luxury, but what could one expect, living as a student? He hoped that the new resident wouldn’t ruin the quiet peace reining in his second floor corridor. Using his student card, he opened the door to his room, quickly falling in his favourite starfish position on his bed. His head turned to the right, he saw his laptop sitting on his desk, opened at the university portal page. Once he managed to get enough will power to leave the comfortable paradise, he had to start working on his assignment.

It was a few hours later that he heard the loud sound of boxes falling on the ground outside of his door. It seemed that the person who would be occupying the room next to him had finally started to move in. Welcoming the distraction from the boring work, he grabbed his whiteboard, prepared to introduce himself. Introductions were always nerve racking, especially as he couldn’t talk like most people could. There was always a possibility that the newcomer would make fun or shun him, it frankly caused him to tremble slightly. But today was okay.

This was the corridor he had been living in for months, filled with people he now called friends. In a way, it was his territory. He imagined it to be more nerve racking for the new person arriving in an already formed group of friends. With courage, he opened the door and looked to his right to greet his new neighbour. Unfortunately, none of his pep talk had prepared him for the situation he was now facing.

Crouching to grab a cardboard box, the man had put up his fluffy hair in a crimson ponytail. A fluffy crimson ponytail.

It was beautiful.

The athlete noticed that Link had come out of his room. He let down the box before walking up to the man, still in shock.

“Nice to meet you. I hope I didn’t bother you with the noise of the boxes. I’m Ganondorf but you can just call me Ganon.”

There was a small moment of silence as Ganon and Link stood still, the former feeling slightly uncomfortable as his stretched out hand seemed to be ignored. Noticing the awkward mood, Link quickly turned his board towards him to write out his name. He then immediately held it up at a height which would hide his face until he could figure out what expression to make.

“Link?” Said Ganon. The sound of the fluffy haired man’s voice as he said his name was more than Link could have ever expected.

The blonde man nodded. Erasing his name on the board to write the only thing his mind was able to process at that moment.

_“It’s very nice to meet you.”_

Ganon smiled. “It’s nice to meet you too. If you don’t mind though, I need to get back to moving and unpacking. We can talk later?”

Link nodded once more. They both waved at each other as the blonde man headed back to his room, closing the door as quick as he could without looking suspicious.

Ganon sighed. _Looks like this place will be quiet at least…_ He thought. This particular living arrangement was only for a few months. All he needed to do was act polite enough for a while to avoid any stories. His friend had told him: a few smiles here and there. A few acts of kindness every now and then, and all should go well. At least he had one smile done.

Link was sitting on his carpeted floor; back stuck to the door he had just slid against. He looked at his white board. _“It’s very nice to meet you._ ” It said. _Nice to meet you._

They had met. They had talked. He had smiled. He had said his name. Had he acted okay? Did he seem weird? It didn’t seem like it hadn’t gone well. So hopefully, their first meeting was a success?  Link didn’t know what to think of the sudden change of situation between them. The sole thing which allowed him to escape the seemingly unending flow of questions to his brain was a text from Zelda. She was in front of the building. Without thinking twice, the blonde man opened the door in a hurry, rushing down the stairs to meet her, startling Ganon in the process as he was still moving boxes into his room.

Link had probably never pressed the door release button so hard in his life, under the panicked eyes of his friend.

“You look as if you’re being chased by a tiger. What’s wrong?” She asked, concerned.

_“He’s here.”_

“Who?”

Link spelled out his name the best he could.

“Ganon? That doesn’t help.”

_“Fluffy hair!”_

It took a second for the woman to understand what her friend meant. Her reaction however, was quite obvious.

“WHAT?” She screamed before Link rushed to cover her mouth, looking around to make sure no one had heard her. Calming down, Zelda pulled Link’s hand away.

“Why?” She whispered.

_“He’s the new occupant.”_

The woman’s smile rose up to the heavens.

“Ooooh. I see. You must be taking this _so_ well.” She barely managed to say without laughing.

 _“This is no laughing matter!”_ Link signed expressively. It didn’t help with Zelda’s euphoria. _“What do I do?”_ He continued.

“You live with him, get married, and adopt millions of children.”

Link had no words for how useless his best friend was being in his time of need, but he clearly showed it on his face.

“Okay, okay, I’ll help.” She said, wiping away the tears that had welled up from laughter. “For now, we’re going up to your room and, if we see him, we’ll say hi to your lovely neighbour.”

Link nodded. Both went up the flight of stairs, perhaps faster than he would have wanted, as Zelda led forward with a quick step. As their arrived to their floor, the woman opened the door to corridor to find Ganon carrying what seemed like the very last box. He put it down as he saw her entering, preparing himself to exchange introductions.

“Hello.” He said stretching his hand out. “I’m Ganondorf, or Ganon for short.”

Zelda took his hand to shake it. “I heard. Nice to meet you.”

“Do you also live here?” He asked.

“Oh no. I live off campus. I’m just bothering Link for fittings in preparation for ComiCon.”

“I see…” He said, looking at Link standing quietly in the background.

“Are you planning on going?” She asked. Planning to seize every opportunity she could.

Ganon averted his eyes. “Oh no. That’s not really my thing. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to start unpacking.” He said before grabbing the last cardboard box and heading into his room.

Zelda turned towards Link, raising her shoulders. “I tried.”

Link sighed. _“Let’s just go in.”_

As Link started to work on the sowing once the approximate fitting was over, Zelda sat on his bed, pensive. Now that she had seen the fluffy haired man from up close, she had this intense feeling of déjà-vu. As if she was familiar with his build. From somewhere. Somewhere…

She dug into her memories.

_Somewhere…_

“I KNOW!” She claimed in a loud voice, startling Link. He quickly turned around to sign.

_“Don’t scare me like that!”_

Zelda didn’t say anything. She simply stared at the confused man, giggling uncontrollably. It creeped Link out.

_“I’m scared to ask why you’re so happy all of a sudden.”_

“We’re going out tonight.”

Link raised his eyebrow, falling deeper into confusion. _“Where?”_

“Somewhere.” She said with a bright smile. Before Link could sign any objections, she laid down on the bed, admiring the posters on the wall. Rocking gently from side to side while humming a gentle melody. Link gave up on finding out what she was planning. In all the years he had known her, if there was one thing he had learnt, it was to not question every single one of her actions. Even if just to keep sane.

They went out a bit after seven, heading towards the small city centre. They quickly came close to a fabric shop, the one Link tended to use for most of his costumes. One of Zelda’s friends worked there, which was a big advantage when securing popular rolls of cloth. The man couldn’t help but wonder why they were heading there so long after closing time. Zelda took out her phone as they arrived in front of the entrance, dialling someone.

“It’s me. We’re in front of the shop.” She said before hanging up soon after. It wasn’t a minute later that the small, wooden door of the shop opened, showing a white haired woman with a bright smile.

“Welcome!” She said. “You’re right on time, We’re just about to start the fitting and flexibility test.”

“Great!” Said Zelda as she stepped in. “You know Link. Link, you know Impa.”

They both greeted each other with a friendly nod. Impa then led them towards the back of the shop. They entered what seemed like a living room. It was furnished with an old-fashioned sofa facing a rather elaborate photo set.

“This is where I do the tests and the photos for reference and personal use.” She said, winking. “I’ve shown you the photos right Zelda?”

“You have.” Said Zelda, rocking from side to side while sitting comfortably on the sofa, inviting Link to do the same. “Where’s your model?”

“He’s changing into the new cosplay. He’ll be out-” There were steps approaching from a door on their right. “Looks like he’s coming.”

“Thank me later.” Whispered Zelda to a still confused Link.

The door opened, exposing Ganon in an almost perfect “Hanzo” cosplay, although his hair was perhaps too long for the part. “I’m having trouble keeping the open part of the kimono stable on the side.” He said, focused on the costume before his eyes rose up to observe the room. “Is there a way to fix it in place or some-” He stopped as he noticed two unknown people in the room. At least people who _should_ have been unknown.

“Hi again!” Said Zelda.

 

 


	2. The art of moving on.

_His left breast…is out._

Link was unable to tear his sight from the exposed chest to his right. The intricate tattoo of the video game archer was drawn onto the skin of the fluffy haired cosplayer, starting from his wrist and reaching just above his nipple.

It was beautiful.

It was more than Link could have ever expected.

“What are they doing here!?” Said Ganon, his right hand raising the left side of the open kimono slightly as a reflex to cover himself up. As much as he wanted to wear the sleeve however, it would smudge the intricate drawing which he had to sit through for too long, and his time was more meaningful than his modesty.

All eyes in the room were focused on him. Impa bore the look of one who had no idea what she had done. The blonde girl… Zelda was it? Was grinning uncontrollably, so much that it made him uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as the incessantly staring eyes of his possibly mute neighbour however. It would have been less awkward if what the blonde man was looking at was anywhere close to his face. Instead, his eyes were clearly focused on his left breast. It was as if he wasn’t even trying to hide it. Was he aware of it? He crossed his arms in an attempt to show at least _some_ modestly.

“That’s the friend I told you about, Zelda.” Answered Impa. “And the one next to her is her childhood friend, Link. He also makes cosplay.”

“Oh, we’ve already met.” Said Zelda, causing the white-haired woman to show a surprised expression. “He just moved next door to Link today.”

“Really?” claimed Impa. “What a small world…”

As the two women fell into a playful discussion about the world, Gan could not help occasional sideway glances towards Link, still focused on his exposed skin. Seriously…there had to be limits to how much one person could stare before it became rude. It was against the politeness he had shown previously that day, but he couldn’t bear it anymore.

He walked forwards, approaching the sofa in large steps. He could see Link react, finally moving his eye muscles, this time switching from Gan’s face to the exposed breast in irregular intervals. For some reason, that only served to annoy the cosplayer even more. He passed behind Zelda, who had stood up, having become heavily invested in her conversation with Impa. Once he was at arm’s reach, he placed his right hand underneath the chin of the blonde man, raising it in one quick, strong motion.

“Hey, my eyes are up here.”

Link instantly stopped staring. Rather, his eyes wandered all over the place, hoping to find a solution for the burning sensation which covered his face. He instinctively signed an apology before realising that Gan probably didn’t know what the movement meant. He turned his head to reach into his bag but the voice of the fluffy haired man stopped him in his tracks.

“Oh, don’t bother with the board if that’s what you were going for. I know sign language.” He said as he signed to prove his point.

Link seemed genuinely impressed, perhaps more by the world than by Gan’s knowledge. What were the chances?

 _“How come.”_ He asked before he could think.

Gan averted his eyes. “Oh, just…, for fun.”

Impa called out to the cosplayer and, perhaps too enthusiastically, he turned around to join her on the photo set where she was standing along with Zelda. Link could hear them discussing the costume and how it fit, testing it out for mobility in various poses. Zelda looked closely at the costume, following Impa’s eyes. Her eyes glanced towards Link, still sitting on the worn-out sofa. They were playful and provocative as she got closer and closer to Ganondorf.

“Let me just fix the left side of the kimono quickly.” She said, reaching in to the costume. Her eyes glanced once more towards the blonde man. They were more blatant in their provocation as she arranged the open kimono along with Impa. Link’s body twitched unconsciously, rising slightly above the sofa. He fully knew what his friend’s intentions were, yet she acted in this way because she knew his reactions too well. The trap was set in motion the moment he moved.

“Oh, thanks for the help Link!” She said while taking her hands and Impa away from the kimono and moving off the white cloth. “You’ll be better at it than me.”

Link showed a slight panicked expression as his gaze shifted towards Ganondorf, who was wearing a confused expression. The young man quickly turned his eyes away as they met Ganon’s. He desperately concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other while approaching the white cloth of the photo-set. Not daring to look up to the cosplayer’s face, knowing that his gaze would end up shifting to places that he shouldn’t be looking at, he focused on keeping his hands on the freshly sown cloth. Carefully, he tucked the kimono over the belt the way he remembered it being in the game, trying to ignore the gazes of the three people observing his every move; especially the one towering above him.  

Zelda watched her friend fiddle with a proud smile. She turned towards Impa, anticipating a smile from her good friend. However, what she found was a displeased looking Impa, looking at her rather than the two men who were supposed to be the current entertainment.

“What’s wrong?” She whispered, concerned.

The white-haired woman sighed before heading towards her model, ignoring her friend’s question. Or perhaps her disappointed sigh had been her answer.

Link backed away from Ganon, letting Impa pin the kimono in place with temporary pins.

“These should do for now.” She said, getting one last overall look at the costume. “What do you guys think?”

Link nodded in approval, using the excuse of observing the overall costume to steal a glance at the exposed skin. He had to make the most of it while it lasted.

“Zelda?” Asked Impa, ignoring the confusion she had caused in her friend’s mind.

“Oh, yeah. It looks good.” Said the blonde woman, shooting inquisitive looks to Impa while she observed the costume.

Impa ignored her glances, concentrating on her model.

“Great! Thanks Gan, you can change out of it now. I’ll fix the kimono in place and call you over for photographs in a few days. When are you free?”

“I have a competition in a month so my training is going to be more intense for a while. I’m free on Thursday though.”

“Thursday it is then.” She said, starting to clean up the set.

Link tapped on Zelda’s left shoulder. _“Shall we go home?”_

Zelda glanced towards Impa, disconnecting lighting cables. “I’ll…stay just for a little bit more. You can go home.”

Link nodded in acknowledgement. _“See you tomorrow.”_

“Sleep well.” She said, waving as the young man headed towards the exit.

Silence filled the small studio after the shop door closed after the student. Zelda ran her hand on her left arm, pondering.

“Can I help with cleaning up?” She asked the crouching woman next to her.

“No.” Said Impa. Surprising Zelda by her sharp response.

“Why are you so grumpy all of a sudden? You were perfectly fine an hour ago.”

Impa sighed once more. It only served to irritate the blonde woman.

“If you have something to say just say it.” She said, arms crossed.

“Why don’t you just go and join Link.” Said Impa. Rolling up the now disconnected cables before storing them into an old box, fitting in with the atmosphere of the small studio.

“What does Link have to do with this?” Zelda asked, juggling between feelings of irritation and confusion.

Impa opened her mouth, but was cut short by the dressing door opening. Ganon came out of it, feeling slight surprise at the two pairs of eyes staring at him. It seemed to be a recurring situation that day. As none of the women were talking, he was the one who broke the heavy silence.

“I left the cosplay on the rack.”

“Thanks.” Said Impa.

“I’ll see you Thursday.” He said as he walked towards the exit.

Both women waved goodbye to him, Zelda stopping moments before Impa did, just before Ganon closed the door behind him. When the door finally shut, the white-haired woman headed behind the white cloth, pulling the mechanism to roll it up.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” Said Zelda, arms crossed.

Impa briefly turned her gaze to meet Zelda’s, obviously quite annoyed, then turned it back to the cloth.

“I just realised the reason why you wanted to meet up today and got annoyed.”

“What do you mean?” Asked the blonde woman, genuinely curious.

Impa sighed once more, keeping her gaze on what she was doing. “Link has a thing for Gan, doesn’t he?”

“He has for months. I never noticed he was actually the model you were talking about until I met him properly today though.”

“So you immediately arranged for them to meet here.”

“Of course. What friend would I be if I didn’t?”

“Are you seriously saying that?”

Zelda became confused. “I’m not following you.”

Impa checked the rolled-up cloth, taking it down from the high hooks and putting it down in the box where black cables were already lying. “I don’t see friends when I look at you two.” She started, slowly walking towards Zelda. She put her index on the blonde woman’s forehead. “I see someone ridden with never-ending guilt and the cause of that guilt desperately trying to act as if nothing’s wrong.”

A chill ran down Zelda’s spine. She instinctively took a step back. Her hands started fidgeting as she stared at the feet of the woman before her.

“I don’t see what you-“

“Zelda.” Impa interrupted. “He’s mute; not paralysed on a bed unable to move. You don’t need to watch over every aspect of his life. Stop reducing him to something less than he is just because you feel guilty for what happened to him. You’re just trapping yourself unnecessarily.”

“But…” Zelda mumbled. “We’re always together. He needs me.”

“He doesn’t _need_ you.”

Zelda’s head sprung upwards, meeting Impa’s gaze. The tall woman put her right hand on Zelda’s cheek, her gaze softening. “Friendship isn’t about needing each other. It should simply be feeling happiness while being around each other. You need to stop focusing all of your attention on him and focusing a bit on yourself, and the people around you. Make yourself happy for once.”

Zelda took a step back, turning towards the worn-out sofa. She grabbed her bag and put it around her shoulder, keeping her gaze away from Impa.

“I don’t see why I should change.” She said. “Everything’s been fine so far, and it’ll continue to be as long as I work hard.” She started to walk towards the exit. “Later.”

The blonde woman was about to put her hand on the shop door’s handle before she heard a strong voice from the studio.

“I love you.” It said. It was clear, carrying all the way to Zelda’s ear as if she was right next to her. Still, she couldn’t hide the almost imperceptible trembling in her voice. “You’re so focused on Link, did you even notice?”

“Later.” Zelda repeated, opening the small door and dashing out of the shop. Only silence was left once the door closed itself, blocking any sound from the dark streets.

Impa turned away from the door, letting herself fall into the low sofa. _You’ve done it now…_ She thought, her head tucked in her hands in exasperation. She had never planned to confess so soon; especially in this manner. She just had been unable to hold back. Seeing Zelda force herself so much for Link to attain happiness, while she denied herself any form of it behind her smile. She knew that Link was also aware of the situation, he had the courtesy to stay silent. Any rejection from him would surely break the poor woman. But Impa could point it out. She could be the pillar Zelda needed to bring herself back up from the pit she had dug for herself many years ago. At least she wanted to.

********

Ganon walked towards campus, it was a strange route which he wasn’t used to. It felt wrong to turn left at the end of the shopping street, so wrong that he almost convinced himself to turn right, before remembering that campus was indeed this way. He craved his bed. Today had been more exhausting that he had planned it to be, both physically and emotionally. He couldn’t believe that someone at university knew about his modelling for Impa. He had no choice, he was blackmailed into doing it. It was easy to justify it. Still, he never wanted it to be public. He simply hoped that none of the two unplanned guests would blab while around people he knew from campus. He would have to talk with his new neighbour properly.

As he thought about his neighbour, he thought his imagination was playing tricks on him when he saw a familiar figure waiting on a bench next to the candy truck which always stuck around until ungodly hours on student nights, which he now realised was tonight. Happily munching on a candy floss cloud bigger than his own head was Link, calmly observing the people passing by in front of him. Before Ganon realised, he was walking towards him, driven by curiosity.

“What are you doing?” He asked the blonde man.

Link’s expression immediately brightened as he saw the fluffy haired man next to him. He sprung up on his feet, ready to sign, before realising that the giant pink cloud in his left hand was a major hindrance. Ganon sighed before taking it from Link’s hand, allowing him to talk properly.

_“I didn’t know if you were told that the main entrance’s card reader was temporarily disabled at night for a few days. To enter at this hour, you need to go through the back door. I was worried that you would be locked out if you didn’t know.”_

“Oh.” Said Ganon. He hadn’t been told about that. The dorm manager was quite busy with an assignment deadline when he was shown around the building, perhaps it had escaped him. Perhaps it was a good thing that he had been discovered by the small man tonight. “Thank you, I would have been in trouble if you hadn’t told me.”

Link showed a proud smile. _“Glad to have helped.”_

There was a small moment of awkward silence.

“Shall we…head home together then?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, tiiiny bit of angst to add to the plot.  
> This will keep focusing on the fluff though, because we need fluff.


	3. Let's go grab a cofee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After 10 000 years!!!  
> To compensate for the wait I made it extra fluffy for you.  
> You have no idea how hard it was to write this while fangirling every five seconds.  
> I really hope you like it!!

The two men walked casually towards campus, Ganon having to match his speed to his much shorter legged companion. Following various attempts at a regular conversation, the taller man ended up with the important role of cotton candy carrier while Link blabbered away, occasionally tearing off a piece when the larger man answered his questions.

 _For someone who can’t speak, he sure has a lot to say._ Thought Ganon, observing the strange man walking next to him, he had to, to understand anything. The conversation was generic. The kind that everyone contained a script to in their heads upon properly meeting someone. _What do you study? Where do you come from?_ The questions you ask but then immediately forget the answer to as you try to remember the other questions on the script to keep the conversation going. Ganon hated those conversations. They seemed useless. Just one formality that one had to go through in order to have a friendly relationship with someone.

This time however, it seemed strangely agreeable. Perhaps it was the ever-changing and vivid facial expressions of his companion. Rather than following the script, he seemed genuinely interested, intensely watching him as he answered the most mundane questions. Asking off-script follow-up questions. It was…refreshing. In a strange way.

Suddenly, as it was Link’s turn to answer a question, he simply tore a piece of cotton candy before he stretched it towards Ganon, noticing that the red-haired man hadn’t taken a single bite of the pink cloud.

“Oh no, I’m not the type to eat cotton candy. And it’s yours.” He objected

The shorter man however, did not budge. Intent on sharing his sweet delight with Ganon. Knowing that the conversation would most probably not move any further if he didn’t accommodate the blonde man, Ganon gave in. Link, expecting the other man to take the piece with his own hand, experienced a very minor, but very real, heart attack as Ganon leaned in to eat directly out of his hand: almost causing him to trip as he had temporarily forgotten how to walk.

“Happy now?” Asked Ganon, using his free hand to clear some sugar which had stuck to his lips.

 _I love you._ Thought Link, dumbstruck at the events that had just unfurled. All functional thinking seemed to have stopped as he tried to breathe normally.

“Link?”

 _“I’m fine, sorry I just spaced out a bit.”_ He signed, trying to keep eye contact to a minimum as he did.

The conversation went on normally, with Link overly conscious of his every word. He had made the fluffy haired man smile a few times. He enjoyed his happy expression. It was a vivid change from the serious one he always wore whenever he walked around the university. Their conversation was still superficial. The typical banter between recent strangers. He wished to hurry and leave this part of their relationship. He wanted to be able to talk about anything with Ganon. About the stars, about cats, about clothes. Still, he enjoyed learning even the most mundane information. Where he had been raised, how many were in his family, what year he was in, if he had any plans after graduation. Mundane but important questions.

They arrived at their accommodation, each step they walked up together further sinking in the reality that they were neighbours. Each step up the narrow stairs led them closer to separation for the day. It didn’t sit well with Link. Sure, they would see each other in the morning, maybe in the common kitchen as they made breakfast, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t want to just be neighbours. He didn’t want to be ‘the one who lives next to him.’ No. What he wanted was…

He grabbed onto Ganon’s top as the two started to separate for the night. The fluffy haired man turned around in surprise to face the slightly shaky blonde man. Link seemed to hesitate greatly, but still signed with determination the moment he started.

_“Do you want to have coffee together sometime?”_

“Do you mean tomorrow morning in the kitchen?”

Link shook his head vigorously.

 _“No, outside. Like a…”_ He hesitated before signing as small as he could. _“date.”_

“Oh.” Ganon was surprised by the sudden request. He looked down at the blushing man, wondering what to respond. This was a bit problematic. Link was Impa’s friend and someone he would meet often starting from today. If he refused him here, it would most probably be awkward every time they met. He wasn’t good with those kinds of social interactions, he thought it wiser to accept the proposition and arrange to be good friends in the neutral environment.

“Sure. I’m free tomorrow after my practice match if that’s fine with you.”

Link looked up with an overjoyed expression, the bright smile causing Ganon’s face to turn slightly red, a fact that was well hidden by his dark skin.

 _“That’s perfectly fine!”_ Signed the blonde man, ecstatic. _“I’ll see you tomorrow then!_ ” He signed as he walked backwards towards his door, waving happily as he closed it behind him.

Ganon waved back as he was left alone in the corridor. He rubbed his neck, today had taken many unexpected turns. He thought back at Link’s smile as they promised to meet, some heat rising to his cheeks once again.

Maybe tomorrow wouldn’t be so bad.

 

********

           

It was 2PM in Link’s room. He and Zelda were there, in the middle of an important strategic meeting. Link stood in front of his wardrobe, his friend comfortably laying down on the bed, observing the outfits he was holding up. She rejected many of his picks, slowly losing the will to live with each one. She ended up standing up herself and going through his wardrobe.

“You literally _make_ clothes. Why is your fashion sense so bad?”

Link sat down on his bed, ashamed. He watched as his friend perused through his clothes, sometimes holding up a top while facing him, deep in thought, before putting it back. He started to notice the strangeness in her movements. She seemed unable to properly bend her stomach. He grew worried, tapping on her shoulder to be able to talk to her.

 _“Are you ok?”_ He asked, concerned.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” She said with a smile, brushing off his concerns. “Aha! Found it!” She exclaimed, bringing out a red T-shirt. Its sleeves were cut in thin circular bands, wrapping around the arm. Zelda looked pleased with the pick. “Here you go.”

Link received the top, still concerned. _“I can cancel if you’re not feeling well.”_

“Don’t you dare.” She said, waving her index in front of his face. She grabbed her bag from the bed. “Now I’ve done my duty, I need to go. Get changed quickly and go.”

Zelda walked out without letting him place a word. She usually did only follow her own pace, but it was more self-imposed than natural. He would call her in the evening to check up on her. Now, he had a meeting to prepare for. He wore what Zelda had chosen and headed to the tennis courts. They were only meeting at three, but when he had asked in the kitchen that morning, Ganon had told him that it was fine to watch him play before they left.

He easily found the man among the many other practicing players due to his long bright hair, put up in a high ponytail. He walked along the barrier, heading next to the bench on which Ganon’s bag was placed. The athlete saw him as he prepared to serve, giving a quick wave which Link returned gladly. Once they finished the set, Ganon and his opponent walked to the bench to drink before changing sides.

_“Are you winning?”_

Ganon smiled. “Of course.” He said, taking a quick drink. “We’ll be done once I win this set, then we can meet outside of the changing room. Do you want to go and get a drink until then?”

Link shook his head. _“I’ll stay here.”_

Ganon paused for a second, then pointed at the court door to his left with his thumb. “Do you want to come in then?”

Link nodded enthusiastically, the athlete couldn’t help a small smile from the reaction. “Go on then. It’s open.”

The shorter man lightly jogged to the court door, quickly heading to Ganon’s bench and sitting down next to his bag in order to not disturb the match too much.  It was the opponent’s turn to serve. Link gleefully observed the focused expression on the fluffy haired man’s face. He had never seen it before, and he started to realise that, from now on, he would probably see many more of these unknown expressions. It brought a smile to his face.

Link watched the match closely, silently cheering every time Ganon scored points. The latter found himself unconsciously checking the bench with each points. Enjoying the celebratory expression on the blonde man’s face. It seemed to make every point that much more significant.

Just as he had told, Ganon won the set easily, winning the game. He walked towards the bench where Link was waiting, his hand open in a high five. The athlete wasn’t used to celebrating practice wins, but he gladly indulged in the gesture, high-fiving the shorter man with a smile.

“Let me take a quick shower and I’ll join you.” He said, packing and lifting his bag.

Link nodded, heading out of the court, closely watched by the athlete. Ganon had worried slightly about how this date would go, but it had barely started, and he couldn’t help but enjoy it.

 _A date huh…_ The fluffy haired man had gone into this arrangement unsure of what to do. He had thought of ways to reject him gently, some taught by his friends. He had wondered how he would arrange so that they would have as little contact as possible. But as he saw Link waiting for him on the bench near the changing rooms, fully engrossed in a book, showing his emotions on his face like he always seemed to, he started to think that maybe these meetings wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

“Do you have a café in mind?” Asked Ganon as they arrived into town.

_“There’s this cute one down by the river, I thought it would be nice.”_

“Let’s go then.” He said, keeping his eyes on Link as he signed away as usual.

As they walked to their destination, Ganon noticed a special shop, one which couldn’t help but catch his eye. _So we have one now?_ He thought, surprised. He had only seen them on magazines and YouTube videos, it felt surreal.  He wondered how it was inside.

Link didn’t miss the distracted eyes of his companion, matching his gaze to find where he was looking. He felt surprise as he identified the shop he was eyeing. It was the newly established cat café which had been a big hit ever since its arrival. A cheeky grin rose on his face.

 _“Do you want to go in?”_ He asked.

“In what?” Asked Ganon, unaware of his own staring.

_“The cat café.”_

“What? No!” Exclaimed Ganon. “Why would I?” His words contradicting the slight tone of red which invaded his cheeks, Link decided to take action. Taking a strong hold on his companion’s right hand, Link pulled towards the shop.

 _“Come on!”_ He sighed with his free hand.

Ganon, reluctant to make a scene in the middle of the street, decided to go along, torn between embarrassment and anticipation. The couple got strange looks as the fluffy haired man barely fit through the entrance. Both bought their promised coffee before heading into the playpen. Ganon took up a large part of the sitting space, and his hair became a prime target of exploration for some of the most adventurous cats, so much so that he had to tie it up in a large bun. One, fluffy white cat, however, did not admit defeat. It climbed onto the athlete, troning proudly next to the ball of red hair, nuzzling in it.

Link laughed at the peculiar sight, though mostly at Ganon’s face which was confused between anger and happiness. The large man looked to his side to see his companion happily playing with multiple cats. He started to get curious.

“I kept wondering since last night, did you know me before we met?”

Link flinched, blushing slightly.

 _“Well…”_ He started. _“I usually sit in front of the English building after lectures on a Tuesday. And that’s when you usually come out of your lectures in the sports building. Because of your size, you stand out a bit.”_

“And how long has it been since you noticed me?”

 _“Why do you need to know?”_ Asked Link, embarrassed by the question.

“I’m curious.” He answered, looking at the small man.

This situation made him want to sink into a corner, but still, Link answered.

_“Just…a few…months.”_

“I see.” Said Ganon. Pensive. He stretched out his hand to pet the cat that was sitting on the blonde hair. “It’s a bit of a shame we didn’t get to meet sooner.” He found himself saying. Although he didn’t mean much by it, the words dealt a heavy blow to Link, causing him to blush uncontrollably. It was only through the other man’s reaction that Ganon realised what he had said.

“Oh, I didn’t mean…I mean…”

Without letting him finish his sentence, Link titled to the right, resting his head on the fluffy haired man’s shoulder.

 _“I know.”_ He signed. _“I’m still happy.”_

They both stayed that way for a little while, enjoying the cats and each other’s company. Suddenly, a loud sound emanated from Ganon’s pocket. It was his phone. He wondered who could be calling him at this time. He stood up to leave the pen to a more discreet place to take the phone call. It was Impa.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

“Are you with Link?” She asked, panic resonating in her voice.

“I am but…what’s wrong?”

“It’s Zelda, she’s been hospitalised.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> The cosplay situation /may/ be a regular in this work. *cough* So if you have any requests *cough* just send them my way *cough* I /could/ find a way to include them...


End file.
